


Leave Me Alone

by buzzbug82



Category: xxxHoLic
Genre: Hitsuzen, Humor, Just my attempt at humor and fail, M/M, This happened long before the end of Rou, Yuuko being Yuuko
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-20
Updated: 2014-09-20
Packaged: 2018-02-18 03:35:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2333759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buzzbug82/pseuds/buzzbug82
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Doumeki agreed when Watanuki demanded that the big oaf should leave him alone. Absence does makes the heart grow fonder. And then there's Watanuki's food.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Leave Me Alone

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by an amv, "Leave me alone-DouWata" by siiribluesummer. This is written back in 2010, I think? Or earlier? I forgot. Originally posted on ff.net.

These 'thoughts' had bothered Watanuki for quite some time now. No matter how many days he spent on slaving around Yuuko's shop- cooking and cleaning and laundry and cooking and cleaning and cooking- he still couldn't get the 'thoughts' out of his head and it made him frustrated. He reminded himself, he shouldn't be bother about it at all. It's not like it's deadly-related- in fact it's much safer than any works that he had ever done for Yuuko ever since he started working at the shop. Watanuki still have so many things to think about anyway, like how he should help the customers that came to Yuuko's wish shop, or how he should find time to finish up his school work, or what should he make for dinner tonight, or what he should make for bento tomorrow…

That's right. He got so many things to think about. And yet, the earlier thoughts still come to him. Bothering him, meddling with his brain and turning what's left into mush. He started thinking that maybe he's too straight-minded as Yuuko said once, and he frowned.

He kept himself busy. Busy is the best medicine. Busy could make him forget about that thought. Unfortunately, those thoughts always kicked itself back in, reminding him again and again. Because wherever he turns around, those thoughts flashed through his mind. And sometimes even in literal sense.

Watanuki growled. He really didn't want to think about that. Because he didn't want to! It's a complete waste of time!

However, the cause of the thought had constantly been with him and never leave me alone.

How could he not think about that 'thought'!?

Oh, what the heck.

"Why the hell do you have to follow me around 24/7!?"

Watanuki spun around and shoved his fist to the person's chest that stood behind him, with the most expressionless face anyone had ever seen on the face of the earth.

Doumeki Shizuka merely raised his eyebrows. "My house is this way."

"Not THAT!" Watanuki was literally shouting, yelling even. The two boys were walking back from school at the end of the day. Watanuki's beloved Himawari-chan couldn't come with them as she got her piano class that evening. Watanuki had said goodbye to her while waving a white handkerchief and whining about it for almost half an hour before he finally left the school ground with Doumeki on tow. 

Watanuki continued his rambling. "You waited for me to go to school, eat lunch with me and Himawari-chan and walked back with me from school every single day. And top of that you come to Yuuko's shop and stay there while demanding more food and alcohol until I finish my job every evening, and you walked me home like every single night! Have you ever heard about the word personal space in your entire life!?"

"… Yeah, I heard about personal space." Doumeki nodded.

"Good! Then tell me, why don't you use it frequently?"

"It isn't necessary for me."

"It is for me!"

Doumeki sighed inwardly and plugged a finger into his ear. "What should I do then? You obviously need babysitting since the hungry monsters are all out here waiting to devour you."

"DON'T SAY IT LIKE I DIDN'T KNOW THAT!"

"…"

Watanuki caught Doumeki's hand that had one finger been plucked into one of his ears and dropped it back to the archer's side harshly.

"Listen to people when they are talking to you! First of all, I don't need your protection! I can run fast if I spot a monster. I survived 16 years without your help, I can survive for 5 minutes, you know!"

"Doesn't seem like that to…"

"SECOND!" Watanuki cut through Doumeki's sentence. "It isn't necessary for you to come to Yuuko's place. It's bad enough I have to prepare gallons of alcohol for her and that black-manjuu, I don't need you to be her second drinking-partner!"

"I'm her third…"

"THIRD!" Watanuki once again cut Doumeki's sentence. "PERSONAL SPACE! I need my personal space! I already tolerate your presence at school and during my precious lunch hour with Himawari-chan, I don't need to have you around after school too. We are not joined by the hips. I bet even Adam and Eve didn't spend every goddamn day together!"

"We are not Adam and…"

"The problem is you never give me a time for myself except for sleep! Last Sunday you popped into my apartment out of nowhere when I was in the shower and you just walked in casually just because you need a towel! A damn towel! Why can't you just wait for me to finish my shower like a normal person? All I ask for was one fucking hour!"

Doumeki watched silently as Watanuki finally finished his tyrant and leaned on his knees, tired and gasping for breath. Doumeki had to admit, this is one of the longest rant Watanuki had ever made in the history of Watanuki's rant.

Then Watanuki looked up, ignoring Doumeki and started sobbing. "Oh, my sweet Himawari-chan! Why do you have piano class today? I would prefer walk this road with your smile that can rival the sunshine than this stoic stalker…" Watanuki dramatically raised his tearful eyes to the sky. "He just won't leave me alone… Isn't it horrible? Oh, Himawari-chan~!" He leaned on the lamp post. "I know that Yuuko-san asked him to follow me because of the spirits, but it was so hard! Yuuko-san is so cruel. I bet she was laughing at my misery the whole time." And honestly it's not that far from the truth.

Doumeki watched him from afar, as his friend started his Kunogi's love-act in front of him. It was rather amusing to watch him like that, but he was more concerned of what Watanuki was saying. It's not like he decided to follow Watanuki around like his own personal shadow because of Yuuko's order. Doumeki was not one to follow people's order if he doesn't want to. Watanuki is important to him; he's important to a lot of people, all of them want Watanuki to be safe and the only one who can protect Watanuki are Yuuko, Mokona and him. 

This is his choice.

However, it seems that Watanuki took this the hard way.

So, Watanuki wanted him to leave him alone, huh?

…Well, if that is what he wants…

That is what he will get.

"… All right,"

Watanuki glared at the archer. "What? Another menu for your pregnant-woman-stomach?"

Doumeki felt strained as he opened his mouth to say those words.

"I'll leave you alone."

"I knew it, that stomach of yours always ask for out-of-season… what?" Watanuki realized what Doumeki said and straightened up, staring at the other boy's stoic face.

"I said; I will leave you alone."

"Again, what?"

Doumeki stared at the other's clueless face. "I won't wait for you in the morning. I won't eat lunch with you and Kunogi. I won't walk home with you. I promise I won't come into your house and I only come if Yuuko ask me a favor or if you need my help. Is that all right?"

Watanuki wasn't sure whether it's because Doumeki spoke more than just two words in a sentence or because of the idea of Doumeki won't be following him around anymore that made him dumbfounded. But why does he think Watanuki need his help anyway? So that he can be like SuperDoumeki again? So that if he got chase by any hungry spirit he could come and save desperate Watanuki, again?

…Oh, right.

"You… Wait, so does this mean I don't have to make bento for you anymore?"

Doumeki gritted his teeth silently, he loves Watanuki's food but he shook his head. "No, you don't have to."

"And… and this deal… how long it will be?"

"As long as you like."

***

 

"YUUKO-SAN~! I'm here to work~!"

Ichihara Yuuko, the employer of Watanuki Kimihiro appeared through the door wearing a revealing purple gown with many lace at the hems with her long black hair tied back with flower ornaments. Two little girls ran from the room to the front door where Watanuki took off his shoes with a black-man… a black Mokona bounced, following the girls from behind.

"Watanuki is here! Watanuki is here for work!" Maru and Moro held hands and danced around Watanuki while the boy gave them a pat on their heads.

"Hello, Watanuki who's name in kanji is April Fool!" Mokona greeted him with his usual greeting, trying to rail up Watanuki for Mokona's own amusement.

"Haha, very funny kuro-manjuu. Nothing you say today is going to make me angry." Watanuki smiled smugly and pushed Mokona aside.

"Oh… You sound awfully happy today. Anything interesting happened?" Yuuko grinned as she leaned on the door frame with her cat-like grace.

"The BEST thing happened to me today!" Watanuki literally jumped in joy, twirling around on the shop's hallway and Maru, Moro and Mokona laughed obnoxiously at him.

Yuuko's grin grew wider. "Really? You finally score yourself a date with Himawari-chan?"

"No," Watanuki stopped twirling and pouted, but soon returned to his gleeful self. "Doumeki finally decided to leave me alone!"

Yuuko raised her eyebrows. "Doumeki-kun? You mean that Doumeki-kun? He said he'll leave you alone? For tonight?"

"No! Not just for tonight, for as long as I like!" Watanuki made some joyful weird movements across the hallway and it can't be called a twirl anymore. "We don't have to walk to and from school together and he won't get into my nerves anymore! I don't care what you say, Yuuko-san. Doumeki finally leave me alone and I feel so free! The most important part is I don't have to make bento for him again~!"

"Doumeki-kun asked you to stop making him bento?" Yuuko's eyes widened as she shared thoughtful looks with Mokona.

"That's right~" Watanuki flailed and glided straight into the kitchen, grabbing his apron and tying up his hair. "To celebrate this, I will make the best dinner ever! And you can drink more than four bottles tonight, Yuuko-san~"

Yuuko was supposed to be happy that her employee let her drink as much as she wants to, but it didn't cease the growing curiosity inside her heart.

"Doumeki… turns down bento…huh?"

***

The next morning, Watanuki walked happily towards the school carrying his bag and lunch boxes for him and Himawari. He was too happy he didn't have to cook for the stoic archer. There's only his and Himawari's food in the bag. He walked pass Doumeki's temple and noticed something lacking.

Doumeki was not at the front gate waiting for him as usual.

Cheering for having his new freedom, and for Doumeki keeping his promise, Watanuki continued his journey to the school lightheartedly. He didn't have to argue with a stone-in-the-legs that morning and the world feels like spring time. 

His day was getting better and better and he was convinced that his suspicion on Doumeki was the cause of all his bad days was confirmed (in his own mind). Watanuki met Himawari at the school gate and the two of them talked and laughed together without a third party on their way to class. Since Doumeki wasn't in the same class as them, Watanuki was happy that he didn't have to face his rival in that class.

When lunchtime came, he and Himawari walked to the spot where they usually had lunch with the bento in tow. They were walking through the school's corridor when Himawari spotted the other boy.

"Doumeki-kun! Come and have lunch with us!" Himawari waved her hands towards Doumeki's direction.

Doumeki turned to look at Himawari and spotted Watanuki behind her. He shook his head and gestured towards the other boys beside him. "No thanks, I'm going to have lunch with them."

"Oh," Himawari dropped her hands as she stared at Doumeki's retreating back, following his other classmates. She looked up at Watanuki and noticed the slight changes in the boy's feature. Is it disappointment?

"Ah, it doesn't matter, Himawari-chan! Let that jerk be, we can have lunch together alone! It will be so much fun without that asshole poking around, right?"

"You're not having lunch with them like usual?" One of Doumeki's friends asked him when they were out of earshot. He shook his head.

"No."

They ate in silence. Well, Watanuki ate in silence. Himawari was still chatting with him about her yesterday events. They got so many leftovers that day. Usually Doumeki would clean up any food from the bento. Moreover, it seems Watanuki had accidentally brought three bento as usual, as the third bento was usually for Doumeki. Watanuki had laughed it off and blamed it on his force of habit.

"Are you and Doumeki-kun fighting?" Himawari finally voiced her concern.

Watanuki blinked at her. "With that jerk? Haha, we were always fighting before, Himawari-chan! Why you asked?"

"Well, Doumeki-kun didn't want to eat lunch with us even though you brought him bento. You two usually get along with each other so well…"

"Ah~! Himawari-chan worried about me! Himawari-chan is such an angel~" He clasped his hands together and praised his wonderful Himawari-chan to the heaves. Himawari stared at him with a confused and kind smile on her face.

However the silence after that brought an awkward position in Watanuki's moment of praise. Usually, someone would say some remark that would made him stop his praising moment but now…

Suddenly Watanuki felt lonely.

Even though he was with his beloved sunflower.

"Ah, Himawari-chan! Do you want some dessert?" Watanuki quickly went through his things to fetch his homemade cookies.

"I would love to!" Himawari exclaimed as Tanpopo chirped beside her. The yellow bird loves sweet desserts.

As promise, Doumeki didn't come to his class to pick him up after the last bell rung. Himawari stated she have another piano class so she couldn't walk home with him. Watanuki who was as kind as ever, said he understood and promised her to make another yummy bento for her tomorrow.

Watanuki hesitantly walked to the school gate, half-expecting the archer to come out of nowhere as usual.

The heck, I should be happy he isn't here!

"Watanuki?"

The said boy turned to see a fellow student from the archery club smiled at him.

"Urm…" Watanuki didn't remember his name, although it seems that most students at the school knows him.

The student smiled. "Are you waiting for Shizuka? He's in the club room, having a meeting. I think he's going to come out late."

"Err… I'm not waiting for him…"

"Oh." The student blinked. "Well, I thought… as you and Shizuka always walk home together…"

"We're not always together." Watanuki rolled his eyes, though he know that's not true. "Wait, you call him 'Shizuka'?"

He shrugged. "Of course, we're classmates and we join the same club. We're close friends, but not as close as you of course," he grinned. "Well, I have to go. Practice time."

"Sure," Watanuki sent him with the corner of his eyes.

At the same time, he was frowning on the fact that someone other than direct family, called Doumeki his given name; Shizuka.

"I'm here." Watanuki lazily closed the door to the shop wish and walked to Yuuko's room.

"Watanuki is here! Welcome Watanuki!" Maru and Moro performed another twin dance around Watanuki but the boy didn't have any mood to play with them today, neither he have the heart to scold them for the matter.

"Oh my, why so gloomy, Watanuki?" Yuuko smirked and took her pipe from the tall ashtray. Mokona was jumping up and down on the couch.

"Watanuki whose name in kanji is April first is glooooooomy~!" She jumped from the couch and straight on Watanuki's head. "He's glooooomy coz he's upset he couldn't do naughty things with Doumeki-kuun~"

"WHY YOU-!" Watanuki jerked his head up to shake Mokona off but Mokona had jumped back to the couch.

Yuuko's smirk widened slyly, her hand cupped around her cheek. "Ohhh… Watanuki-kun… I had always knew you and Doumeki-kun…"

"Stop fantasizing things!"

"See…? He's got all mad and lonely because Doumeki decided to leave him alone… Poor Watanuki-kun…" Mokona climbed into Yuuko's shoulder.

The witch nodded seriously, but evilly. "Yes, yes… You know how lovebirds are… They used to be joined by the hips, so now that he's alone… It's quite frustrating… Ah, Doumeki-kun is quite a looker too, I wonder if there's any girl who would take this chance for a little love-confession, ne, Watanuki-chan…?"

"That is so wrong in so many levels!" Watanuki shouted in rage and stomped to the kitchen. "THAT'S IT! I'm going to start my work now and you guys are off limit from this kitchen and Yuuko-san can only have two bottles of sake tonight, and that include during dinner!"

Yuuko and Mokona looked at each other and then at the fuming Watanuki in horrified. "YOU MONSTER!"

***

 

"You sure you don't want me to call Doumeki-kun?" Yuuko stifled a laugh as she watched Watanuki stepped into his shoes grudgingly after the end of his shift. The fifth bottle of sake was dangling from her dainty, elegant fingers.

"What for? For him to come here and laugh at me!?"

"Oh, you know he won't laugh at you just because you want a company to reach home safely…"

"YES HE WOULD!" Watanuki puffed his chest and walked out of the shop. "Me, Watanuki-sama is not afraid of anything!" He put his hands on his waist and laughed.

Yuuko, Mokona, Maru and Moro clapped their hands as Watanuki reached to the gate. "Yes, Watanuki is great…" they said sarcastically.

"No monsters are going to get any meat on this bone to… WARRRGGHHHHH!" As soon as Watanuki was out of the gate, a couple of hungry spirits launched to him and attacked him. Watanuki ran as fast as lightning to the direction of his apartment with the spirits behind him.

"I told him so," Yuuko shrugged and walked back into the shop with the giggling Mokona. She went to get the sixth bottle of sake for the night.

"Told him so! Told him so!"

***

 

Watanuki was sure he'll be a dead meat that night. He was halfway to reach the safety of his home when the amount of monsters grew and popped everywhere at once. Watanuki tried to run faster but his feet caught by one of the spirits that was after him.

Monsters loomed over him and Watanuki closed his eyes for the attack.

Suddenly, a flashing light blinded him behind his eyelids and the heavy feelings of having the spirits looming him was gone in an instance. Another light flashed through his vision and the next thing he knew, his feet was free from whatever thing that caught him.

Watanuki opened his eyes and looked up steadily to see the one he expected to see.

Doumeki Shizuka, still in his school uniform, was standing in front of him with a bow in his hands.

"What… what are you doing here?"

"Saving you," Doumeki put away his bow into the case he brought with him and crossed his arms. "Let's go."

"Go… go where?" Watanuki stumbled as he tried to get up with shaking legs.

Doumeki held his urge to help the other boy. "I'll walk you home."

"Oh… right," Watanuki stood with new confident when he realized he was going to walk home together with Doumeki like he usually did. He wasn't so moody anymore. "How do you know I was…" Watanuki embarrassingly made a gesture behind him, implicating the monsters that dared to attack him earlier. He said he doesn't need help, but hitsuzen got a funny way to backfire him. As always.

"… I saw with the eye," Doumeki answered without looking at the seer.

"Oh." Watanuki nodded in understatement and walked in complete silence. The neighborhood was in peace and no ghosts are looming in any dark streets since Doumeki was with him.

They reached Watanuki's apartment safely and without drama. Watanuki looked at the dark window that implied his room and grunted. His room was always dark and scary; even though Yuuko and Doumeki had worked hard in planting many protecting seals around it. Not one monster was able to break through the powerful barriers, but it still looked scary to him.

Watanuki turned to murmur a quiet 'thank you' to the exorcist, but it seems Doumeki had already walked away and leave him alone to his thoughts.

Doumeki, once again, had kept his promise.

Five days after that, and Doumeki still kept his promise. Not once, he waited for Watanuki to go to school, only Himawari was there to keep him company. Even at lunchtime there were only two people left instead of three. Doumeki always find excuses whenever Himawari asked him to join them. Watanuki slept at Yuuko's shop in the past few days. Therefore, he almost never had the chance to see the stoic archer.

Himawari had voiced her concern upon Doumeki's change of behavior, and how Watanuki always seems forgot to minus one bento for their lunch. She noticed that for the past few days Watanuki made bento consisted of all Doumeki-kun's favorite food too. She also sensed how Watanuki wasn't as energetic as he usually did. He just smiled and talked about small things and avoided any topic about Doumeki in their conversation. Whenever Himawari had to go to do something for the class or student council, Watanuki wasn't crying and wailing as before. Instead, he just said his goodbye and went to clean up the boxes and thermos silently and slowly.

Yuuko wasn't having fun with the situation at hand. Maru and Moro tried to sing and dance to cheer up the seer but to no vain. Even Mokona didn't know how to brought up any enthusiasm from the boy and spent most of his time talking to Soel in the mirror.

When Watanuki reached Yuuko's shop that evening, he didn't even complain at how Yuuko finished five bottles of alcohol before dinner, instead reaching for his apron, tied up his hair and began to work on the dinner quietly.

"Come on, Watanuki…" Yuuko sighed as Watanuki served her dinner with another bottle of sake.

"What?" Watanuki looked at her and raised an eyebrow. He carefully put the hot bowl of miso soup on the table.

"How long are you going to keep playing this game?"

Watanuki stared at her curiously. "What do you mean?"

"To be honest, your relationship and affair was none of my business." Yuuko stood from her sofa and strode to him in her apricot kimono with extravagant obi. "That feeling of yours… That's the part where you should figure out yourself, not others."

"And your point is…?"

Yuuko kneeled and took Watanuki's face into her palms. Watanuki had to lean a little while holding on to the tray. "Even that… it seems that others had figured out your true hidden feelings, Watanuki; while you are still so oblivious to it. That's not quite how it was suppose to be, right?"

Watanuki pursued his lips, waiting for her next word.

"Stop lying to yourself and be honest. That's your specialty all along. Why do you have to let it go to waste now?"

"I really don't understand what you're talking about." Watanuki shied away from her hands and continued his delayed works, keeping his eyes on the table. "If it's another lecture about how hitsuzen work… I really don't have time to listen to it now."

Yuuko rolled her eyes. "Hitsuzen, Watanuki… is quite ironic."

"Well, thank you for telling me that." Watanuki replied sarcastically.

"No matter how we try to avoid it, hitsuzen will come back at you no matter where you are. The same as the transaction of feelings."

"Right…"

"You are lifeless, Watanuki. Your energy and your cooking… they are not the same anymore." Yuuko picked up a bowl of rice in front of her and took a bite, tasting it.

"Right… wait-What did you said?" Watanuki glared at her. If she said something about how bad his cooking is…

"Your cooking is bad." Yuuko stated much to Watanuki's exasperation. "It doesn't taste the same as before."

Watanuki glanced at the food he prepared. "What's wrong with them? I see nothing wrong."

"The appearance might not differ, but the feeling inside them had changed." Yuuko place the rice bowl back to the table. "I said so before, to eat is a very important and lucky thing. And it's very frightening as well." She stared at him and smiled. "All these time, you had spent many of your time in the kitchen, cooking for someone you care… Those feelings had mixed with your cooking and thus releasing a sort of powerful and lucky energy. When you mix the food you made with all your love and care, those feelings would shown in the food you prepared, revealing how you are truly feeling. The chi would flow in the food, and determine the taste of the food to the people who eat it."

Watanuki swallowed bile on this throat. He doesn't like where the conversation is going…

"Your chi, Watanuki, has weakened. That's why your food doesn't taste the same as before."

The silence that occupied the room was enough to give the witch of the impression that the seer had understood her motives.

"All the food you prepared before when you are still cooking for him, Watanuki… was delicious beyond words." She complimented him, leaning on the table with one hand supporting her head. "Besides, they tasted more delicious as each days passed… all because you released that sort of feelings into your food."

"That-That's absurd!"

Yuuko shook her head. "No. It's not. Without you realizing it, you released lots of love and care into the food you prepared for him every day. Even when you are cooking for someone else, you still release the same sort of feelings because you still thought about him because food always reminded you of him. Food reminded you how he always finish your food with so much satisfaction. Even in anything else, you did… You did them well because your thoughts are always with him, and thought about how he would like the food. You kept saying you always did his last; when unconsciously you did it last because you want it to be the best you made. But now, when you cook, even when you were thinking about him, the food didn't taste the same because you know he won't be there to eat it."

Watanuki's face was as red as tomato; his fist clenched into the apron that he wore, which made Yuuko smiled even more because she knew who gave him that coverall apron on his birthday.

"A food made by a seer, and ate by an exorcist, is an amazing circle to the world."

Watanuki sighed tiredly. "You are exaggerating again, Yuuko-san…"

"Remember what Zashiki-warashi did the first time…?" Yuuko provoked.

"I remember…" he sighed again.

"This happened if you two are not together for a long time, Watanuki." Yuuko took back the bowl of rice and started eating her dinner. "Your meeting was never a coincidence, everything is hitsuzen."

Watanuki growled, hanging his shoulders in defeat. "Why is this happening to me…"

Yuuko poured herself a cup of sake. "Actually, you do realize all this beforehand, right?"

"No," Watanuki shook his head and sat on the floor. "I don't. But everytime I cooked… I just… He just… always popped out of nowhere…" he blushed more.

"Embrace the fact, Watanuki." Yuuko looked at her employee in amusement. "A relationship like this is not easy to come by, you know."

"Where I heard that before…" Watanuki rolled his eyes sarcastically.

***

 

The next day came. Watanuki hastily grabbed the bento packs and his schoolbag as he rushed to the front door of Yuuko's shop. Yuuko and Mokona who had been watching his movements since earlier stood at the front porch.

"It's still too early before the school bell rings, you know." Yuuko pointed out with a hint of amusement in her voice.

Watanuki grimaced. "I know."

"Then, why you leave so early?"

"I just…" Watanuki looked down to the floor and blushed. "It's none of your business, Yuuko-san."

Yuuko snickered. "Actually, in fact it is my business, since I was the one that gave you that advice anyway."

Mokona's lips curved into a grin. "Watanuki admits his defeat!"

Watanuki's vein of anger popped on his forehead as he tried to reach for Mokona to squeeze or better yet, shut him for good. But Mokona leapt from Yuuko's shoulder and joined the twin who stood a little too far behind.

"Watanuki didn't want Doumeki at first~!" Suddenly there was a microphone on Mokona's little hand.

"Don't want~~"

"Don't want~~" Maru and Moro simultaneously continued.

"But then he admits~ His defeat… He couldn't live without his Meki~!" Mokona made a dramatic poise and smiled smugly to the furious Watanuki.

"Watanuki is in love~"

"Watanuki is in love~"

"For god sake, don't sing together!" Watanuki yelled and covered his ears protectively. His face was beet red and the laughing Yuuko didn't help the situation at all. "And I AM NOT IN LOVE!"

"Then what do we call this, Watanuki?" Yuuko glanced at him and smiled slyly. "Pathetically in love?"

Watanuki glared dagger at her and rearranged his muffler, trying to ignore the singing of the evil twin and the evil mascot in the background. "I hate you guys," he grabbed his things and ran out of the store.

Yuuko laughed even more. She was glad Watanuki was being Watanuki again. "We love you too, Watanuki-kun~!"

Watanuki ran all the way from the shop to the shrine. His breath came in short huffs as he stopped and looked at the majestic shrine. He tightened his hold on the bento he brought, quietly tiptoed into the yard, looking at his left and right. All was still and quite. So, Doumeki hasn't come back yet from his morning exercise…

"Oi."

"ARRRRGGGHHHHHH!"

Watanuki jumped six feet in the air and his school bag along with his bento slipped from his hands. Luckily Doumeki was there to catch them. The stoic boy stared at the seer, wearing his traditional robe and a broom in other hand. Watanuki turned sharply to glare at the archer, not missing the longing look the boy gave to his bento.

"I have a name, dumbass! And that is Watanuki Kimihiro! Was it so hard to remember!?"

"What are you doing here?" Doumeki asked, ignoring his ranting.

"Listen when people are talking to you!"

Doumeki put a finger into his left ear. "It's too early for your deafening scream."

"THE HELL? YOU-" Watanuki held his breath in order to control his anger. "I can't believe I even consider to…" he glared at Doumeki and snatched back his things. "Give me that!"

Doumeki ignored him again and began to sweep the yard. "What are you doing here? I told you I will leave you alone and you…"

"I don't want it anymore."

The archer stopped sweeping and turned to look at Watanuki, who was hiding his face under his bangs.

"What?"

"The deal, I don't want it anymore."

"… Why?"

"Why?" Watanuki looked at him and pouted. "Well, you said it was up to me how long we are going to keep up the deal. And I declare today as the expiring date!" He laughed and brought his hands up to the sky.

"And it's all because I'm such a great person in this world! I pity you that you have to buy your own lunch and doesn't get the taste of the great food made by the Watanuki-sama! Look, I even made extra for you to eat this morning so you don't have to crawl to school starving to death and make a fool of yourself in front of Himawari-chan! Now bow down to me three times and thanks the most amazing, wonderful, talented cook, Watanuki- Hey! I haven't finish my speech yet!"

Doumeki had already took back the bento from Watanuki's hand and peered inside the white bag. Four bento boxes are placed neatly with a metal thermos filled with hot, honey tea.

"Is there tamagoyaki?"

"Yes, it's in there, you jerk! Listen to people when they are talking for once!"

Doumeki was already half way into the shrine with the bento he took from Watanuki. The said boy yelled all the way into the shrine, following the archer.

"Hey,"

"Hmm?"

"You're supposed to say, 'Is there anything I can do for you, Watanuki-sama?'!"

Doumeki rolled his eyes. They were in the hallways, on their way to Doumeki's room where they usually hang out when Watanuki came to the shrine.

"… Who else call you 'Shizuka' besides your family?"

The archer caught the question and turned to look at Watanuki suspiciously. Well, not that his facial expression change or anything, Watanuki grumbled under his breath.

"What?"

"I said, who else called you 'Shizuka' besides you family?" Watanuki repeated his question patiently. Right, Watanuki Kimihiro can be patient. He just chose not to with Doumeki, usually.

"I don't know," Doumeki shrugged. "Some of my friends from archery club, maybe. Why you ask?"

"No reason," Watanuki walked ahead of the archer and reached the room first. He threw his bag to the side of the room and pulled the sliding door open. Doumeki reached the room later and chose to sit in the middle of the room, ransacking into the bento again.

"Is it possible that you're… jealous?"

Watanuki fell to the ground animatedly. "WHAT? Don't be ridiculous, who would be jealous just because people call you 'Shizuka'? That name is too girly on someone like you, you're just Doumeki." Watanuki restrained himself from saying that the name didn't suit him, because for all he knows, that name suits Doumeki perfectly.

He's too quiet. If it isn't for his constant explanation about folklore that was passed down by Haruka-san, Doumeki might remain silence for the rest of his life.

Doumeki slowly opened the first bento and stared at it. His gaze rest upon on the slender figure in front of him, who was trying hard not to look at his face.

The bento was beautifully made, with cute octopus-shaped sausages, sweet-looking tamagoyaki, some umeboshi, and perfectly golden-roasted tempura. But Doumeki's real attention was on the pink heart-shaped pickles arranged on the rice in the middle.

"…What's this?"

"Jeez, isn't it obvious? It's a food, dumbass." Watanuki replied, not making any eye-contact with the archer. "I poured all my hard work and feelings into that bento, now eat." Watanuki said this with smug in his voice, but Doumeki noticed that the other's ears and neck was as red as the umeboshi in the bento.

The corner of Doumeki's mouth twitched into a slight smile. Of all the things Watanuki did, this is the cutest thing he had ever done.

He picked one of the tempura carefully, as if afraid of ruining the perfect, beautiful homemade bento. He took his time on chewing the food, eyes almost bulge at the amazing and heavenly taste of the crispy tempura. He knew Watanuki is a wonderful cook, but he never thought he could make the food taste heavenly. These has got to be the most delicious meal he had ever eaten in his whole life.

"You must love me a lot."

Watanuki choked on his saliva and hit his head on the desk out of shocked. "WHAT!? WHO EVER GAVE YOU THAT RIDICULOUS IDEA!?"

"This is the most delicious food I ever eat."

Watanuki hit his head on the desk again, ears beet red. "Damn you…"

"So it's true?"

"SHUT UP!" The bespectacled boy grabbed Doumeki's collar and shook him with all his might. "JUST SHUT THE HELL UP!"

Doumeki placed the bento back to the desk, letting Watanuki shake him.

"I can't believe this is happening. You're such an ungrateful little jerk! How on earth did I fall in love with you?! I should never fall for you and your stupid face and your stupid shoulders, you imbecile! Give me back my heart! It was supposed to be for Himawari-chan, only for Himawari-chan! NOT YOU! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME!?"

Doumeki stared, as Watanuki's face getting redder and redder by the second.

"Why did you even let me fall for you? This is all your fault! I HATE YOU SO MUCH RIGHT NOW!"

"Because I love you." Doumeki replied simply and stoically. Watanuki stopped his rant and looked at Doumeki's expression. His facial expression doesn't change in the slightest, so Watanuki was afraid if his ear was playing trick on him.

"W-what?"

"I love you too."

The bespectacled boy gasped, horrified; and his face was so red it could explode.

"Something is better left unsaid, you moron! And don't say it with such an idiotic face! Don't make me fall even more in love with you, dumbass!"

When it's over, Watanuki lost in his trail of rant and rested his head on the archer's shoulder tiredly, arms wrapped itself slowly around the archer's neck.

Doumeki was surprised when Watanuki embraced him out of his own will. Slowly, he raised his right hand and touched the black hair that pooled on his shoulder, stroking the black strands gently. His eyes grew soft, his longing on the bespectacled boy vanished at that one single touch.

That morning, they walked to school together and greeted Himawari at the school front-gate. She looked surprised, but then she was smiling happily and waved at them and made them promised to have lunch together; the three of them.

***

 

When Watanuki came at the shop from school- with Doumeki carrying his groceries at his side- he was greeted by Yuuko and Mokona toasting and laughing with each other while Maru and Moro running towards the two boys and threw flower confetti at them.

"Congratulations on your new found happiness!" Yuuko cheered and poured another glass of wine for herself, laughing loudly at Watanuki's beet red face. He was gawking at her while Mokona jumped on his head, shouting how Watanuki and Doumeki has been doing naughty things. Watanuki let out a battle cry and flailed his arms on the air to catch Mokona. 

Doumeki nodded at her. "Thank you."

"DON'T THANK HER!"

 

-END-


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